Face identification system

Abstract

A face identification system includes a face data generator to generate face data of an objective person and a face data register to register the face data to be stored in a temporary face data storage, which stores the face data as reference face data. The system also includes a face identifier to identify the face of the objective person by comparing the face data with the reference face data. The system also includes a robot mechanism to move to plural areas, a data base to store face data of plural persons and a controller to transmit the retrieved face data from the data base as reference face data to the robot. By this system configuration, the face identification can be correctly carried out and improved in its process speed.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a face identification system to specify and identify the human faces.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The conventional face identification systems have been proposed, wherein camera devices such as CCD cameras to take the images of the objective person are used and his or her face is specified and then identified by using such images (see the reference 1 as an example). In this system, many of images taken in a form of moving pictures of the objective person are compared with image data taken by the camera devices and then his or her images are specified and identified as a specific person among the persons whose images are stored in the image data base.[0003]The recent progress of robot technologies is remarkable. Since some of the robots have carrier devices to go around extensive areas such as the insides of the different buildings or the yard of companies, they can be applied or “appointed” to receptionists or guides f...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The robot which has such face identification system may carry out the complete sequence of the identification that is to compare a person's face with all of the stored face data by the system installed therein. This sequence of operation burdens a heavy load to the robotic system and therefore the computer process for the identification needs long time.

[0009]In addition, for the present face identification system, the robot can take the environmental data of the place where the robot goes and stays. Therefore, the face image stored in the data base may be corrected to be a realistic image that is in such an environment so that a more successful identification may be possible. We call such correction as the environmental correction hereinafter. The probability information that the specific person to be identified should not be in the place where the robot has to specify and identify him or her is given beforehand and then he or she can be eliminated from a group of the possible persons to be processed for identification. Therefore, such information can improve the resultant identification efficiency since no judgment is necessary or provided for the person who does not exist at the specific place and in the time for the robot goes to and stay in. His or her presence can be determined before the face identification process starts. Therefore the probability information is a step for the data screening before the face identification process. The screening step contributes the high-speed processing for the face identification by reducing samples to be identified.

[0013]In this face identification system, the persons who are present in the area and at the time for which the robot locates are selected in the face identification process. Reversely the persons who are not present in the area and at the time for which the robot locates are screened out from the face identification process. In other words, the face data of the persons who are probably not present in such area in such a certain time are eliminated for the face identification process. Therefore this screening method can contribute to improving the identification. By using this screening method that is to select the concurrent presence of the person in an area and time zone with said robot, the necessary samples of the reference face data retrieved from the data base can be reduced and the high-speed face identification is realized.

[0015]In this face identification system, such corrected reference face data are compared with the face image that cameras in the robot acquire. Since the comparison is done in substantially same environmental condition, the system effectively supports to improve the face identification reliability.

[0017]The correction serves for the in-situ comparison that has the consistency with the face image to be taken in the place where the robot is present. Therefore the present system serves for improving the identification.

Problems solved by technology

This sequence of operation burdens a heavy load to the robotic system and therefore the computer process for the identification needs long time.

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